Description

I Don’t Want to Talk About It has been a trusted bestseller for over 20 years, offering insight and optimism in addressing and ending the stigma around male depression. Psychotherapist Terrence Real draws from more than two decades of clinical experience working with men and their families to shed light on depression as a hidden epidemic among men. According to Real, many men conceal their pain from loved ones and even from themselves, often fearing that admitting depression challenges their perception of masculinity. Behaviors commonly associated with men—such as struggles with intimacy, excessive work, alcoholism, anger, or abusive patterns—are frequently coping mechanisms designed to mask underlying depression. Unfortunately, these destructive patterns wound family members and unintentionally pass emotional suffering to children.

Serving as a meaningful and practical guide, Real’s influential book helps men discover and acknowledge their pain, begin the journey to healing, mend broken relationships, and stop the cycle of abuse. Blending profound understanding with poignant accounts of his patients’ experiences—as well as his personal journey as the son of a depressed and violent father and as a father himself—Real provides clarity and compassion, offering hope to men and their loved ones seeking genuine emotional recovery and connection.